My suitor came through the barrier when I was eighteen. I’ve known him for six years and we’ve finally gotten into a groove with our lives. We love each other but aren’t in love—and I’m not sure we ever will be—but he is a good man and a wonderful father to our two little girls. This life was pushed on him as much as it was me. We both knew what was at stake and decided to stick it out. I think we’ll be okay. At least it feels that way. Falling in love never really appealed to me, so I’m not bothered by our situation. Others might be and I can’t speak for them. I can only urge you to consider all your options before making a decision concerning your future. This life isn’t for everyone, even if that’s what they tell you.
My mentor told me I should try and give anyone reading this a piece of advice. I don’t feel I am qualified for that, but I will heed her wisdom. Don’t be afraid of this new world or adventure, but take everything with a grain of salt. No two witches are alike and no two fates will ever mirror the other. Wherever or whenever you learn of your destiny, you don’t have to like it or even want it, but think long and hard before you turn your back on it. A few witches have done just that and lived to regret it. I learned the hard way that those closest to you don’t always take your feelings into consideration. My mentor has been an amazing friend and has led me through every obstacle I have ever encountered, unlike my mother. Find someone who will stand in your corner and wish for your success. Good luck; you’re going to need it. But remember, you’re exactly where you should be and what the world needs right now.
Paisley shut the book and rested her forehead atop it. She wasn’t sure she was as strong as Emily to live in a loveless marriage. She knew it would be wasteful to throw the gift she’d been given away, but so far, she had never showed any signs of being anything other than normal. For her, that’s what was making everything so hard to believe. How could she accept the fact that she was a witch when she didn’t feel any different than she did a couple of days ago? Maybe if she would exhibit some ability it would make it a bit easier for her to tolerate. Fully accepting what was happening, without any proof of what she was capable of, was a tall order. And that wasn’t even taking Lana into consideration.
She groaned, then stood up, glancing once more at the woman and young boy, who had settled down on top of the picnic table and were looking up at the sky. Her dad used to bring her to the park and do the exact same thing. It was hard to believe she would never have that. She was only thirty-two and it felt like her life was ending instead of beginning, and that was not how she wanted to live. She wasn’t sure she would ever, could ever, accept being thrown into this world without a safety net, but given how everything had happened so far, she wasn’t sure she had a choice.
From now on, she would listen to her family and try to see it from their point of view, try being nicer to Lana, and make a point to visit K.G. in the coming days. They had both been so busy lately, but a K.G. hug was exactly what she needed right now, and if she did have to go to Dangor, she wanted to spend as much time with her best friend as possible. As she started the car and pulled out of the parking spot, she hoped that if Lana was still at her house, she’d at least made dinner. She was starving, and while she could make a meal out of the cupcakes, she hoped she wouldn’t have to.
****
Paisley didn’t realize how late it had gotten until she was halfway home and noticed the streetlights had started to come on. No wonder she was so hungry. She’d given in and eaten two cupcakes on the way home, but they didn’t curb her appetite one bit. She didn’t know whether to be freaked out or relived when she pulled into the drive and saw a shadow pass by her living room window. What was one more heart-to-heart for the day? She should probably just get it over with. As soon as she closed the back door, her stomach growled when several different spices wafted toward her. Lana was leaning against the kitchen counter, grinning at her.
Lana pointed to the slow cooker. “I made dinner.”
Paisley took a deep breath and nodded, relieved. She wasn’t ready to confront her issues with Lana after all, at least not right now. All she wanted was to eat her dinner with as little fanfare as possible. “Good. I’m hungry.” Lana’s smile slipped, but motioned for her to take a seat. Paisley deposited her book and the cupcakes on the table, then she spotted a woman standing in the far corner of the room, wearing some type of uniform. She shook her head, then sat down at the table. Lana placed a big bowl of what looked and smelled like beef stew and a large piece of crusty bread in front of her. “I’m impressed. Everything looks good and if it tastes as good as it looks, I might have to keep you around.”
Lana rolled her eyes and sat down across from her. She pointed to the solider. “Addison is from Dangor, and she will be your personal guard while we are here. Once we reach Dangor, you will be assigned a permanent guard.” She held up her hand. “Please, don’t argue with me.”
Paisley sighed and pushed her spoon around in her bowl. “I don’t agree, but I won’t argue.” She looked at Addison, pushed the chair out beside her, and indicated that Addison should sit down. She hesitated, but after Lana nodded, she sat down and Lana stood up and fixed her a bowl.
Paisley squeezed her palm, then picked up her spoon and took a bite of the stew. The flavors danced on her tongue and she hummed in pleasure. Wow. She would have never guessed Lana knew her way around the kitchen. They ate in silence with Lana continually looking between her and Addison. After she swiped the last bit of gravy up with her bread, she poured a glass of milk and carried it along with the book and the cupcakes into the living room. “You both are welcome to a cupcake. My mom made them for me last night.” She plopped down on the couch and lifted her legs to rest her feet on the coffee table. Jynx ran over, jumped onto the couch, and settled down beside her.
Lana sat down at the far end of the couch and eyed her. “Paisley, is everything all right? You’re quiet.”
She slipped her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose before slipping them back on and turning to face her. “I have had a weird-ass couple of days, and the weirdness doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. It’s a lot to take in. You appear, then I find out we’re married.” She held her wrist up. “Then I find out I come from a long line of witches, and on top of that, I am supposed to go to Dangor with you. Which, by the way, is in another realm. On top off all that…” She picked up the book. “This is my legacy and I am supposed to read it, but I can’t read half of what is written.”
She sat the book down and picked up a cupcake. “You know. Just any other day. Addison, help yourself to a cupcake. They’re good. If you want one, grab it now, before I eat them all.” Addison looked to Lana for permission, and only when it was given did she pick one up. Well, that wouldn’t do. “If Addison is my guard then she shouldn’t have to look to you for permission to do something. I assume you trust her or she wouldn’t be here. If I am to continue to accept this—and her—she has to be allowed to make her own choices.”
Lana frowned, then picked up a cupcake. “Fine. Addison, if it doesn’t interfere with your duties, you may do as Paisley wishes.”
“Yes, your Highness.”
Paisley finished her cupcake, then groaned. It had completely slipped her mind that Lana was a princess. “Since we’re married, does that make me royalty, too?”
“Yes.”
She drank the last of her milk, then swung her legs off the coffee table and slipped them underneath her. She turned to Lana. “Tell me about the Brotherhood of the Realm.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything.” She winked at Addison when she picked up another cupcake.
“The Brotherhood of the Realm is a powerful organization that has been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. They’re not necessarily against the royal family—my family—but they do wish to limit our power and our reach. If they stay in line, my father will leave them be. But, the whole situation involving you has him rethinking their stance in our country. And
they don’t agree with our union.”
“Why? Because were both women?”
“No, because they feel you are the one mentioned in the tale. But the public reason they give is because we can’t have a baby together to carry on the royal line. A small group of select members have formed a more radical group and my father has sent out a handful of Elite Guards to keep an eye on them. The fact remains, we cannot identify all members. A lot of them keep their identity secret. There is always that one that gets through.”
Wow. If they didn’t know who the members were, how would they be able to protect her? She shook her head. It didn’t make any sense. She picked up another cupcake, mindlessly peeled back the paper, and took a bite. “What happens now?”
“Well.” Lana stood up and moved to sit on the coffee table. “You’ll come home with me and we’ll try and get into some sort of routine. I know it won’t be easy, but I think we can make it work. Of course, we will have to deal with the Brotherhood, but I am confident of my soldiers’ abilities to protect you.”
Paisley sat up and put her feet on the floor. On impulse, she leaned forward and kissed Lana on the cheek, then pointed to the rest of the cupcakes. “You both are welcome to finish them.” She picked up the book, put it under her arm, and scooped Jynx up, hugging her to her chest. “Good night.” They didn’t protest when she walked out of the living room and into her bedroom. Jynx jumped from her arms and onto the bed, and Paisley figured she had the right idea, so she fell onto the bed beside her and swiped at the tears running down her cheeks. How could two days change her life completely? There was no turning back now. Whatever happened she would be right in the middle of it. Maybe a good night’s sleep would put everything into perspective, but she wasn’t holding out hope.
****
After everything that had happened the previous day, Paisley didn’t even want to get out of bed. She stilled her movements when she heard an unfamiliar sound in her room. Lana was the last person she wanted to see right now. She wasn’t sure what possessed her to kiss her cheek last night. There was no reason to give her false hope. Time to face the music. She flung the covers off, sat up in bed, and cracked one eye open. She was pleasantly surprised to see Addison standing in the corner of the room. “What are you doing in here?”
“Guarding you.”
Paisley rolled her eyes and mumbled, “I guess this is what my life has come to.”
“Pardon?”
She waved her off. “Never mind. Could you at least step out while I get dressed?” It wasn’t until after the door closed behind her that Paisley relaxed. She grabbed a pair of jeans from the closet, along with a Star Wars T-shirt. She had a feeling she would need the Force today. After putting her socks and sneakers on, she grabbed the door handle, flung the door open, and walked out into an empty hallway. She half expected to see them both standing there, waiting for her, but her heart lifted with the unexpected reprieve.
As she crept down the hall, she couldn’t help but feel like her old self. Maybe, just maybe, this was all a dream, but as soon as she entered the kitchen her dream bubble popped. Addison was standing beside the table, but she didn’t see Lana anywhere. “Where’s Lana?”
“She had some things she had to take care of.”
She tried to hide her relief, but if Addison’s smirk was any indication, she wasn’t successful. “She’s gone?”
“Yes.”
She resisted the urge to dance around the kitchen. It felt a bit like Christmas morning. She bit her lip and eyed Addison. She sure didn’t say much. “Let’s go.”
“Wait.” She held her hand out to stop her.
“No. No waiting. Let’s pick up breakfast and visit K.G. I don’t want any arguments. Lana isn’t here. Let’s go.” She didn’t wait for an answer and held back a smirk when she heard the door shut behind her. They settled into the car, drove to the café on the corner, and in fewer than thirty minutes they were pulling into K.G.’s driveway. Paisley grabbed the two bags with their food and only gave the car parked on the curb a quick glance. She had known K.G. for twenty years and for two of those they had dated, so she didn’t bother knocking and opened the door that led directly into the kitchen.
As soon as she set the bags down on the counter, she heard K.G. scream from somewhere in the house. Without waiting for Addison, she took off running down the hall until she reached K.G.’s bedroom. Skidding to a stop outside the shut door, she debated whether to knock when K.G. screamed again. She pushed the door open with such force that both occupants in the room jerked their heads in her direction. She half stepped, half fell into the room. K.G. was sitting up in the middle of the bed, naked, and a woman she didn’t recognize stood in the corner of the room with only a button-up shirt on—unbuttoned—and holding a book in her hand. If it wasn’t for the sheer terror on K.G.’s face, she would have thought it was some sort of weird sex game gone wrong. The woman sneered at her, lifted her finger, and wagged it at her.
“Get out,” the woman screeched, and started chanting in an unfamiliar language. It was a bit creepy, but not unusual for the last couple of days she’d had.
“I don’t think so.”
The woman took a step toward her. “You really don’t know who you’re dealing with. If you leave now, I will let you live.”
“Paisley,” K.G. squeaked from the bed.
She turned from K.G. and ran past Addison out of the room and down the hall until she reached the spare bedroom. After scanning the room, her eyes landed on her prize, and she picked up the hockey stick and ran back toward K.G.’s bedroom. As soon as she crossed into the room, she raised the hockey stick and swung it toward the woman, knocking the book out of her hand. The woman jerked her head toward Paisley and her steps faltered when her gaze drifted toward Paisley’s chest. Clamping her mouth shut, she grabbed her book from the floor and walked out of the room, keeping her distance from Paisley.
“Addison, make sure she leaves.” Paisley looked down and noticed her necklace had slipped from the confines of her shirt. Did the woman seeing her necklace make her run for it? She turned back to K.G., who was still seated in the middle of the bed. When she opened her mouth to talk, Paisley held up her hand. “Get dressed. I brought breakfast. Meet us in the kitchen. It looks like we both have a lot to talk about.” She left before K.G. could say anything, headed to the kitchen, and started to unpack their food.
Addison helped her arrange the food on the table. “She got in the car by the curb and drove off.”
“Good.” She glanced up when K.G. walked into the kitchen dressed in a pair of plaid shorts and a black T-shirt. Her short blond hair needed to be cut by the way it hung on her forehead. Paisley reached up and pushed it out of her eyes. “Let’s eat first, then we’ll talk.” K.G. frowned and walked to the window. “Yes, she’s gone, and that’s Addison.” When K.G. didn’t attempt to flirt with Addison, Paisley knew she was still freaked out. Over breakfast K.G. started to loosen up, and by the time they threw their trash away she seemed back to her old self, although Paisley could still see a bit of fear beneath her tough exterior.
“So,” K.G. said and took a sip of her coffee. “Who wants to go first?” She looked between Paisley and Addison.
Paisley laughed and adjusted her glasses. “I think, in this instance, your story will probably be a lot shorter than mine and make more sense.”
She cocked her head and grinned. “I met her at a bar last night. We came back here. Everything was fine until this morning when she started to act weird. I didn’t think anything about it.” She shrugged. “I mean, I’ve been with some weird women, but this was different. I started to get suspicious when she slipped her shirt on and started pacing around the room. I tried to talk to her to no avail. Then she picked up her book and started chanting. A lot.”
“Why were you screaming?”
She looked embarrassed for a moment, then sobered. “She was standing in the corner of the room, but I could have sworn someone was touching my shoulder.
It freaked me out. I am so glad you decided to come over today. Right before you made your grand entrance, she said something about a blood sacrifice and that I was worthy. Creepy, right? I mean who does that shit? Then she mumbled something about being a witch.”
Paisley clamped her mouth shut and averted her gaze. If that was true, then who was she and did she really want a sacrifice? Any other time she would have thought K.G. was crazy, up until her own ordeal started. Now, she knew anything was possible. “That’s an interesting story.”
“You don’t believe me? Paisley, look, I swear, it’s the truth.”
She grabbed K.G.’s hand across the table and ran her thumb over her knuckles. “I do believe you. It’s just after the last two days I’ve had, I am not sure if you’re going to believe my story.”
“Does it have something to do with her?” She jerked her head in Addison’s direction.
“Yes.” She nodded.
K.G. grinned. “I can’t wait to hear this.” Paisley started from the beginning and told her everything, from Lana’s first appearance until that morning. K.G. didn’t try to interrupt her speech, but she didn’t look skeptical either. When she was finished, K.G. ran her hands through her hair. “Well, fuck me. Seriously?” She stood up and topped off her coffee cup. “And here I thought I had a whacked-out morning.”
Paisley stood up. “You believe me?”
“Sure.” She shrugged. “Why not?”
Paisley flung her hands in the air. “Witches, other realms, kings, queens, powers…”
“Paisley, I’ve known you a long time, and in all that time I have never known you to lie to me. I love you and I would never discredit you or make fun of you just because your story sounds like a book I read last week. Just because we can’t see something or experience it doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”
The DragonWitch Tales - An Unexpected Beginning Page 4